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It’s one thing to debate policies and occasionally trade verbal barbs, but a Canadian Steelworkers’ official’s acts of slinging turds (literally) and issuing threats is taking political discourse to a new low:

A union official is facing criminal charges after allegedly threatening MLA Jenny Kwan, her husband and their children and throwing feces onto the family’s roof, according to court documents filed Friday.

Ms. Kwan has faced criticism from some B.C. New Democrats because of the prominent role she played in party leader Carole James’s forced resignation late last year.

Kim Pollock, a United Steelworkers research representative and long-time party supporter, has been charged with mischief as a result of the feces-throwing incident, which took place on April 1. He has also been charged with uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, which were allegedly made to Ms. Kwan and her family on Dec. 1, 2010.

Naturally, not wanting the stench on their hands, the Steelworkers are putting distance between themselves and the feces thrower:

United Steelworkers national director Ken Neumann, in a written statement, said the union contacted Ms. Kwan personally to “express the USW’s regret for the incident immediately upon hearing about it” from The Globe and Mail.

Mr. Neumann stated the NDP and Ms. Kwan have “acknowledged the USW’s expression of regret and have indicated they understand the United Steelworkers have nothing to do with this incident.”

A spokesperson for the union said Mr. Pollock is a “long-standing” employee who reports directly to Steelworkers’ District 3 director Stephen Hunt.

“WE WILL NOT use or threaten to use a weapon of any kind, including but not limited to guns, knives, slingshots, rocks, ball bearings, liquid-filled balloons or other projectiles, picket signs, sticks, sledge hammers, bricks, hot coffee, bottles, two by fours, lit cigarettes, eggs, or bags or balloons filled with excrement . . ..

WE WILL NOT damage, threaten to damage or attempt to damage any vehicle or equipment owned or operated by Overnite, its employees or security guards, by any means or manner, including but not limited by slingshots, rocks, ball bearings, liquid-filled balloons or other projectiles, knives, picket signs, sticks, sledge hammers, bricks, bottles, two by fours, eggs, or paint, or by tearing off mirrors, windshield wipers or antennas, or breaking windows.

FYI that’s actually the Asahi Beer Hall in Tokyo, and the “turd” is the architect’s interpretation of the head on a beer glass. Though wikipedia notes that locally it *is* known as “the golden turd” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asahi_Beer_Hall).